Many people are interested in making a video journal, but most do not have the basic knowledge of how to make it. It might look harder than it actually is, but if you follow the instructions in this article, it will be a lot easier.

Steps

1

Get a digital camera with video recording capabilities, a digital video camera, or even just a web cam. This will be your main instrument, since it will be how you record your video journal in the first place. A digital camera or digital video camera is best if you plan on being mobile while recording, while a decent web-cam will do the job if you plan on making it more of a monologue than anything. You can also combine these resources.

2

Set up an account on YouTube or a similar video hosting site. This is essential to getting your videos out to the masses. Pick a user name that represents you, but is also easy to remember. YouTube allows you to limit your videos to friends only (up to twenty-five people), in case you only want certain people to view your videos, or you can make them public (viewable to anyone). You can also make them completely private, so that only you will be able to view them.

3

Decide on a topic. Your topic can be very specific, or it can be very general. You may make a video journal about living in a certain area, or you may just make a video journal about the goings-on of your everyday life. It's your video journal, so the choice is up to you! Be creative!

4

Decide how often you want to update your video journal. You may wish to put up a new video every couple of days, or only update once a week. The choice is up to you. Keep in mind that if you choose to update every couple of days, it's probably best to keep the videos as concise as possible. If you update less often, then it's OK to make them longer and more detailed.

5

Get recording! Now you're set to record your video journal, so get out there and do it!

6

Be consistent! Don't just record one video then give up. Make sure you leave some time to do it. Try to set yourself a goal to do it at least once a week, because you may find, after the first few weeks, you don't want to do it anymore.

7

Edit, edit, edit! The key to a good video is not only your personality and ability to talk to the camera and make the viewer feel engaged, but also editing. You can use Windows Movie Maker or some other video editing software for this step. Editing can make or break a video. Add titles, photos, music, cut out long pauses or parts that you don't want in the video - the possibilities with editing are numerous.

8

Upload your video. Once you have your video just the way you want it, it's time to put it online. Upload it to YouTube or your site of choice, add a title for it, a description, and set your preferences for the video. Voila! You now have a video journal.

Tips

If you want your video journal to be private, then don't post it!

Make it about what comes from your heart and mind.

When saving your videos on your computer, it's a good idea to have a special folder that is only for your video journal files. It's also a good idea to title the video according to the date so you will know when you made that particular video.

If you do this over the summer, then at the end of summer, collect all of the videos you did and connect them using an editing system! That way, you'll have a collection of all your videos to share with friends and family!

Try doing it like a blog!

Warnings

Don't talk down about people you know personally (or even those you don't). If you're making a commentary about celebrities or political figures, then it's more acceptable, but talking a lot of smack about people you know personally could get you in trouble (including legal trouble).

Remember that if your videos are public, they're viewable to everyone, so be careful about revealing personal information or your exact location.

Be careful with using music in your videos. If it's copyrighted, it could be removed from YouTube or whatever site you're using without warning.